Together For Christmas
by HobbitofRavenclaw
Summary: Christmas is fast approaching and D.G. wants all of her friends and family together for the holiday. Will the newly rebrained Ambrose make it in time


D.G. stared out the window unseeingly as white lace fell in lazy spirals from the sky to rest softly on the frozen ground outside the northern palace. The snow muted the cold glass of the window as it frosted the pane under the hand of the youngest princess.

"D.G.?" Cain called, pulling the 20 something from her musings. "Is something wrong? You look preoccupied."

D.G. shook her head. "I'm fine. It's just that it's snowing." D.G. sighed and pointed out the window.

"Well yeah. it's Christmas. It always snows on Christmas." Cain replied with a shrug. "At least here it does. I don't know about this Kansas country you lived in."

"Kansas is not a country, it's a state." D.G. replied automatically. She had already explained the United States to her Outer Zone friends. "And it hardly ever snowed there."

"Snow makes D.G. sad?" Raw asked, placing his gift for Azkadellia under the tree. The younger princess shook her head.

"No, it isn't the snow. I mean it has been too long since we have all spent time together and everyone came but Glitch. He was the first friend I made here in the O.Z. I kind of wish-" D.G. sighed and looked back out the window.

"Wish he was able to make it." Cain finished and nodded. "I kinda hate to say it but I do miss the old Zipper head too. But you have to remember, he's Ambrose now. And your mother sent him off because he was the only one who could reach a peace treaty with the Yips. "

"I know. But I sent the invitations out a month ago, so he would have plenty of time to come back for the holidays. " D.G. sighed, finally turning her gaze from the window.

It had been back in August, as the leaves changed from fresh green to the more indulgent hues of gold, scarlet, and perfervid orange. D.G. had said goodbye to her dearest friend for the last time before a major surgery. D.G. waited nervously outside the sanitized white room for eight hours with a meditating Raw and a pacing Cain. When they were finally allowed in to see Glitch, D.G. bolted into the room and took his icy hand.

"Glitch... Thank goodness. " She smiled as relief washed over her. Glitch gave her the same confused smile she was accustomed to. It would only take a few words, she knew from experience, and he would recall everything.

"I am terribly sorry young lady. You seem to have me confused with someone else." Glitch replied with a kind, sympathetic smile. "My name is Ambrose."

"No, It's me Glitch, D.G.. Don't you remember?" The Kansas woman asked tearfully

Glitch shook his head with that same polite smile. "I am sorry, you must be confused. My name is Ambrose. And the only D.G. I knew died many annuals ago."

D.G. shook her head as tears fell from hers eyes,Glitch watched in confusion as D.G. ran crying from the room, then shrieked in horror and dove under the covers as an angry tin-man barged in with his six shooter pointed at the royal Advisor.

"Alright headcase, " Cain growled at the cowering man in the hospital bed. "what did you say to upset the kid?"

"N-n-nothing. I just told her she had me confused with someone else. I never met her in my life."

Cain sighed and put his gun away. "Well that explains. it. You've known the kid for about 4 annuals now."

"I have? " Ambrose asked incredulously. "Do I know you too? I seem to have a lapse in my memory."  
Cain shook his head and headed toward the door. Ambrose watched him with a detached curiosity.

"Excuse me sir?"

Cain turned to glare at the ex-headcase.

"You seem to know the girl. who is she?" Ambrose asked timidly.

Cain growled low in his throat and pulled his fedora low over his eyes. "The best damn friend you ever had." with that he turned and marched out to the waiting room where Raw was comforting D.G..

"D.G. not cry. Glitch will remember." Raw cooed softly.

"Yea kid. I mean, you and Glitch go way back. Even before you left the O.Z. when you were a little kid. " Cain sighed and patted her back awkwardly. "Give him a few days and you'll have your old Glitch back."

D.G. dried her tears and nodded. "Yea. Just a few days."

But days turned to weeks; weeks turned to months. Before too long, the faded sunlight washed the year away to cold, snowy December. Ambrose wouldn't talk to D.G.. If anything, she could swear he was avoiding her. when the trip to Yip country came up Ambrose had practically jumped at the chance to leave the northern palace. day by day, D.G. fell into a deeper despair.

Azkadellia took a seat by her sister and sipped her hot chocolate. "He'll come D.G.. I know he will." She smiled.

D.G. sighed and finally turned away from the icy glass. "How can yo be so sure?"

"He never missed Christmas. Not even when he and Mother were small." Azkadellia smiled.

"There were times he would stop work in August just to make our Christmas gifts. " The queen smiled at her daughters. "He always gave my sister and I each a present. But he always put a little more love and care into mine. for annuals I thought he was an elf."

"An elf?" D.G. giggled, trying to imagine her absent minded friend with pointed slippers and a bells on his toes.

The lavender eyed queen laughed and nodded merrily.

"I only ever caught a glimpse of him here and there." She explained. "I was almost 10 when we ofically met. I saw him come in an out of the walls in a green apron. He was only a little taller than me. He would leave presents where I could find them. The first time I saw him, it was almost Christmas. Mother told us a story about Elves that Santa sent out to look after us and make sure we were behaving."

"You mean you and your older sister?" Azkadellia asked. "Aunt Olive?"

The lavender eyed monarch sat across from her daughters.

"Yes, Olive and I. She told me countless times the elf would come to see her and tell Santa to bring her better presents. But then one day after a long difficult lesson about enunciating, I went back to my room just in time to see Ambrose vanish behind the tapestry. I was sure he was the elf sent by Santa, so I left him a letter, telling him how happy I was to have him watching over me."

"You didn't think it was a little creepy to have a stalker?" D.G. asked incredulously.

The queen shook her head. "No. I thought he was an elf sent to look after me. On Christmas day we had a huge ball and all the dukes and lords gave us exquisite gifts. dresses and jewels and all sorts of wonderful extravagant presents."

"But you were a child. A very small child." Azkadellia said in surprise. The queen nodded with a mischievous smile.

"Yes, I was only 2 or 3 annuals old. Father took everything we were too young for and put it in a large chest to keep it safe for when we could use it. But that night when I went to bed I found a little doll that spun if I concentrated. It was designed to look just like me, right down to my red Christmas dress. Olive Showed me her doll wearing a green dress just like hers. The same dolls I gave to you."  
D.G. sighed and turned back to the window. "I don't know. He should have been here by now, if he were coming."

The queen smiled sympathetically and squeezed D. G.s shoulder as she and Azkadellia left the room. D.G. sat still and waited in the window as the fire began to burn low. She was nearly asleep when a loud mournful howl came from the wind, startling her awake.

"Glitch how could you forget me." D.G. whispered despairingly and moved to stand up. As she got ready to pull away from the window, a small movement caught her attention. something was moving outside. She squinted out as small flurries swept through, tiny dots of silver through the velvet back night. She could just make out the shape of a man, tall and thin and blurred at the edges from the wind and fog.

D.G. leaped up and ran out the door, heedless of the cold stinging her bare feet or the complete numbness of her nose.

"Glitch!" She grinned and plowed into the adviser, knocking him to the ground.

"Oof. Hey Doll. what's up?" Ambrose asked with the warm open smile D.G. grew accustomed to.

"You came! I'm so glad you're here." D.G. grinned and the pair made their way back to the palace. Ambrose wrapped his tattered brown jacket around the youngest princess.

"And miss Christmas with my family? Never." Ambrose sighed. "I stopped in Central city to find you a really great gift. But I couldn't really find anything that said- you."

"Awe Glitch, you being here is the best present I could ever have." D.G. grinned and looked up where Raw and Cain were waiting at the doorway.

"This is going to be the best Christmas ever." Ambrose smiled.


End file.
